What Is the Mayor Responsible for in Local Government?

Three levels of government exist to make sure the United States runs as it should: federal government, state government and local government. Local governments are put in place to take care of any needs a city may have as well as act as a representative for the city when it comes to the state and federal government. A local legislative body is given power by the constitution to make local laws, although the laws still fall under federal and state guidelines. A mayor is leader of most local governments.

Background

The role of mayor was established in the early 19th century. The lack of experience and effectiveness of state governments led to local governments as the best choice to lead each colony. Local governments in America at the time were loosely based on the British system, which elected councils. As of 2003, about 80 percent of Americans lived in an area that fell under some form of local government (see Reference 4).

Types

The mayor-council form is the oldest form of local government and the form where a mayor is elected as leader of a city. Mayor-council form can have either a “strong” mayor or a “weak” mayor. A strong mayor has the power to appoint and remove any leaders of city departments. A strong mayor is a major contributor to the city budget. A strong mayor also has the power to veto anything passed by the city council. A weak mayor has some power to appoint positions, but not as much. Often, there are more elected officials and boards that hold power in this type of government. The city council holds more legal power than a weak mayor.

Position

A mayor is elected by the people of a city or town. They usually serve a two-year or four-year term depending on the location. Some cities place no limits on how many times a mayor can run for re-election, while other cities allow a mayor to only run for re-election one time. The mayor represents the city as the chief administrative officer. A city council is elected to serve along with a mayor. Together, the mayor and the city council represent the city. Both the mayor and the city council are expected to attend council meetings.

Responsibilities

The mayor, along with the city council, oversees all the departments in the city. Although, there are usually leaders for each department, final authority rests with the mayor. Departments they may oversee include: police and fire, recycling, libraries, transportation, parks, traffic and future development. The mayor is usually responsible for setting agendas and running city council meetings. The mayor, as well as the city council, also work to secure any state or federal funding for projects.

Fun Facts

The first mayor elected by popular vote was Cornelius Van Wyck Lawrence, who was elected as mayor of New York City in April 1834. The first female mayor was elected in April 1887, when Susanna Medora Salter was elected mayor of Argonia, Kansas. The first female mayor of a major city was Patience Sewell Latting, who was elected mayor of Oklahoma City in 1971.

References

• City of Phoenix: Who are the Mayor and City Council and how are they elected?
• City of Lincoln, Nebraska Mayor's Department: Frequently Asked Questions
• Geoff Wilson, MP: What does Local Government do?
• The United States Conference of Mayors: Mayors play the central role in U.S. municipal government
• National League of Cities: First Mayor Facts